Is It Possible For Your Air Conditioner To Be Too Powerful?
When getting a new air conditioner for your home, you may make the mistake of thinking that a more powerful condenser is going to be able to cool down your home faster or make the air colder. This is simply not true. It's tempting to buy that bigger unit, but it could be doing more harm than good. The biggest problem you'll see is water intrusion.
An Air Conditioner Needs To Dehumidify
Your home's air conditioner does two distinct jobs at the same time. It not only cools down the air in your home, but it also dehumidifies the air. If the air conditioner's condenser is too big, it won't do a great job at dehumidifying. The problem becomes a bigger concern for homes that are energy efficient with them being well sealed.
What will happen with an oversized air conditioner is that your home will absorb the additional moisture. You'll have water that becomes trapped inside your home's walls. If the unit is the correct size, this won't be an issue at all.
How Moisture Is Removed From Your Home
Your home's air conditioner works by taking the warm and moist air inside your home, and passing it over the unit's evaporator coil. This cools down the air before cycling it back into your home. The temperature of the air will fall, and moisture will collect on the condenser coil. Once enough water has collected on the condenser coil, it falls into the unit's condensation pan, then leaves the home through a drain.
When an air conditioner is too big, the air moves through the home too fast. Your air conditioner runs for a shorter period of time, so the moisture doesn't collect from passing over the condenser coil. The air is recycled through the house without proper dehumidifying, and humidity levels remain higher than normal.
The Dangers of High Humidity
When dehumidifying doesn't happen with an air conditioner, mold can form in the home. If people in your home have allergies, they can become worse. People can develop health problems, and hardwood floors can become warped. These are all issues that can be prevented by getting the right sized air conditioner.
How To Avoid Too Much Humidity
Instead of purchasing and installing the air conditioner on your own, have a local HVAC company assist you with the best heating and air conditioning. They can take measurements of the home to get the proper square footage, and recommend an appropriately sized air conditioner unit for your home's specific needs.